Composite fabric and method of making same



@amille Dreyf, New York, N. Y.

No wing. Application August 4, i934, Serial No. 73%;?9

6 Glalms.

This invention relates to the preparation of stiffened composite or laminated fabrics and also to wearing apparel or other technical or industrial articles formed in whole or in part of such stifiened fabrics.

An object of my invention is to prepare fabrics of any desired degree of increased stiffness and in a simple and expeditious manner. A further object of'my invention is to prepare wearing anparel or other technical or industrial articles consisting of or containing such stiffened fabric. Other objects ofthe invention will appear from. the following detailed description.

I have found that stiffened fabrics may be prepared at low cost and very simply by pressing an assembly of fabrics made of or containing nonthermoplastic fibres, at least one layer of fabric, which will usually be an interposed layer, being coated or impregnated with cellulose acetate or other organic. derivative of cellulose in powdered or finely divided form. The assembly is subject'- ed to pressing, at least locally, at elevated temperatures in the presence of a suitable liquid.

I have further found that by having present volatile liquids, that are not active solvents for cellulose acetate at ordinary temperatures but which cause the same to stiffen at elevated temperatures, during the application of heat and pressure, many advantageous results are attained. Since these liquids are not active solvents at ordinary temperatures, action on the cellulose acetate takes place only upon application of heat and pressure, and therefore by applying heat and pressure only locally, ornamental or other special effects may be produced. The use of such nonsolvents is preferred, since the use of liquids that are active solvents at ordinary temperatures is often disadvantageous. Such active solvents act too quickly and produce defects in the finished article for various reasons, while with the use of non-solvents, such defects are avoided.

The products formed by my invention may be. used for any purpose where a stiffened and/or relatively impermeable fabric is desired. An important application of such products is wearing apparel, which wearing apparel may be formed in whole or in part of fabrics made or prepared in accordance with this invention. Thus collars or cuffs may be formed entirely of the product of this invention. Alternatively shirts may be made wherein the attached collars, neckbands, cuffs, fronts or bosoms are made of such products. Hats or parts of hats may likewise be formed of such material, as may also be the inner or sweat bands of hats, visors for caps, inner linings for (Cl. IMF-2) poses, and indeed may be used for any industrial 5 or technical purpose where fabric of increased stiffness and/or impermeability is required. Another use of the fabrics of this invention is in wrapping articles, in which case heat and pressure may be applied only locally to seal the pack- 10 In one form of this invention the assembly of fabrics with an intermediate layer containing cellulose acetate in powder or finely divided form employed as starting material may first be out, 5

sewn or otherwise shaped. After the desired articles, such as collars, cuffs or other wearing apparel or parts thereof, are formed,they may then be treated with a liquid that is either a solvent for the cellulose acetate or causes the cellulose 20 acetate to stiffen at elevated temperatures, and then subjected to heat and pressure to impart the desired stiffness and/or impermeability. In this manner the sewing of stiff material is avoided.

Products of this invention have any desired 25 degree of stiflness, which is'relatively permanent, so that they may be subjected to repeated laundering without substantially losing their stiffness. In this manner the use of starch or other extraneous stiffening materials during laundering 30 may be avoided.

This invention may be carried out in a large number of ways, having regard to the nature of the fabric or number of fabrics employed, provided that a layer of fabric comprising non-thermo- 35 plastic fibres and containing cellulose acetate in powder or finely divided form is interposed between a plurality of fabrics that consist of or contain non-thermoplastic fibres.

There should be present ln-the product treated 4( at least one layer of fabric consisting of nonthennoplastic fibres coated or impregnated with finely divided cellulose acetate and at least one layer, but preferably two or more layers, of fabric which consists wholly of non-thermoplastic 45 fibres such as cotton, linen, regenerated cellulose, wool or natural silks. Instead ,of employing fabrics consisting wholly of non-thermoplastic fabrics, any or all ofthe fabrics consisting wholly of non-thermoplastic fibres that do not contain 50 the finely divided 0r powdered cellulose acetate may be replaced by a mixed fabric containing yarn of cellulose acetate, alternating either in the warp or in, the weft, or both, in any desired de gree of alternation, with yarns of non-thermofinely divided form, and this assembly may be' treated in accordance with this invention, whereby a composite fabric made up of a plurality of layers is produced. If a product is to be produced wherein all the layers thereof are united, it is of importance, where two or more layers of fabric consisting wholly of non-thermoplastic material are used, that at least one layer of fabric containing cellulose acetate in powdered or finely divided form be interposed between such layers of fabric.

In another form, two layers of fabric consisting of non-thermoplastic fibres may be coated with the finely divided cellulose acetate and assembled with the coated sides in-juxtaposition. and this assembly then subjected to the uniting process.

As instances of the manner in which the various fabrics may be assembled, the following are given. In the case of collars, cufls, etc. where an exterior of cotton or linen is desired, a layer of cotton fabric containing cellulose acetate in powdered or finely divided form, may be interposed between two layers of fabric consisting of cotton, linen or other non-thermoplastic fibres. An assembly that is also useful for such purposes comprises three layers of fabric consisting wholly of such non-thermoplastic yarns, with a layer of fabric of non-thermoplastic fibres containing cellulose acetate in powder form between each of such fabrics.

These arrangements are given only by way of example, it being obvious that other arrangements with a less or greater number of layers of fabric may be employed to obtain any desired effects. r

Often, particularly in connection with wearing apparel or parts thereof, such as collars, cuffs,

shirt bosoms, hats, etc., it is'advantageous to cut or sew together the assembly to the desired form before subjecting the same to the stiffening operation, since it is much more convenient to manipulate them before the desired stiffness is imparted thereto.

The layer of fabric comprising non-thermoplastic fibres and containing cellulose acetate in powder form that may be used in carrying out this invention may be prepared in various manners.

In one mode of operation, fabrics of any desired construction and made of yarns of cotton,

reconstituted cellulose. linen, natural silk, wool' or other non-thermoplastic fibres maybe. impregnated with or coated with an aqueous or other suspension of very finely divided cellulose acetate, with or without plasticizer. If the water or other liquid used as the suspending mixture is permitted to evaporate substantially completely, the coated or impregnated fabric may be sold or shipped as a separate article of commerce and sale.

The cellulose acetate employed for this invention may be reduced to the finely divided form in any suitable manner. Thus it may be reduced to the size of an impalpable powder by prolonged grinding in a ball or pebble mill in the presence of water or other liquid used as a suspension medium. In another, and in some cases preferred, method the cellulose acetate and water or other suspension liquid is passed through a colloid mill provided with closely fitting rotors, one or both of which is provided with a carborundum or other abrasive surface, to form a slurry containing the finely divided cellulose acetate. If plasticizers are added, these will be present in very intimate admixture with the finely divided cellulose acetate.

In order to promote better adhesion of the fine- 1y divided cellulose acetate to the fabric, adhesives; binders or agglutinants, such for instance as gelatin, gum arabic, gum tragacanth or other gums, latex etc., may be incorporated with the finely divided cellulose acetate, and in many cases such adhesives, binders or agglutinants promote the adhesion of .the treated-fabric to the other fabrics with which it is laminated.

The suspension of the finely divided cellulose acetate may be applied to the fabric in any convenient manner as by means of a padding mangle, by passing the fabric through a bath of the suspension, with or without subsequent passage between quetch rolls, by spraying or brushing the suspension of finely divided cellulose acetate onto the fabric, or in other ways.

Preferably the water or other suspending liquid is evaporated from the fabric after application of the suspension of cellulose acetate, and this may be done by passing the fabric through drying chambers or tenters, or around internally heated drums or cams.

In another mode of applying the cellulose acetate to the fabric, the cellulose acetate in the form of finely divided dry powder, with which a plasticizer may or may not be in intimate admixture, may be blown or sprayed onto fabrics comprising non-thermoplastic fibres and, if desired, gelatin, gums or other appropriate adhesives, agglutinants or binders may be employed to cause such powder to adhere to the fabric more readily.-

To obtain good adhesion, an appropriate liquid should be-present during the application of heat and pressure to the assembly of fabrics of non-thermoplastic fibres and the fabric containing' finely divided cellulose acetate. Examples of such liquids are the active solvents for the cellulose acetate, such as acetone, ethyl lactate, formal glycerol, etc. The active solvents may be diluted with water or other liquids to restrict their solvent power. Solutions of plasticizers in volatile liquids that may or may not be active solvents may aisobe used for this purpose.

A preferred liquid'to be used is a volatile liquid that acts on the cellulose acetate at elevated temperatures so as to cause the same to stiffen, but which is preferably not an active solvent at ordinary temperatures. I prefer to use for this purpose ethyl alcohol (denatured or undenatured) or methyl alcohol containing water, or mixtures of these, since they are relatively inexpensive. Ethyl alcohol containing about 20% of water is particularly desirable as its vapors are not toxic or disagreeable. Less advantageously, more or less water may be added to the alcohol. Aqueous solutions of ethyl alcohol or of methyl alcohol of 55 to 90%, particularly of about pose. Another example of a suitable liquid that may be used is an aqueous solution of the monomethyl ether of ethylene glycol containing, say,

f concentration are very useful for this purabout 20% of water. These liquids are not active 75 jected to heat and pressure.

ai -rte solvents for cellulose acetate at ordinary temperatures.

The liquid may be applied to the assebly of fabrics having an intermediate layer oi iabrio containing cellulose acetate in powdered or ilnely divided form in any suitable manner, such as by dipping, spraying or brushing. it. convenient manner of wetting the assembly is by paddlna the same with the liquid. Both sides of the assembly should preferably be wetted with the liquid, as it is desirable that all of the layers of the fabric present he wetted therewith when heat and pressure is applied.

The so wetted assembly of fabrics is then sub- Thls may be done by any suitable device, for instance, by hot iron ing or by passing between pressure rolls, one or both of which are heated. or between a heated roller and a heated or cold plate or surface, or between a heated pressing iron or plate and a cold board or surface. lihe heating device may be heated to the desired temperatures, for instance, to to 180 C. or more and the pressure applied may be any desired pressures, tor instance, from 1o to too pounds per square inch.'

If heated devices that have desired dmle'ns, such as stripes, dots, rectangles or other aeo-= metric, floral or other desiens. embossed thereon are employed, novel eiiects are obtained, since only those portions that come in contact with the embossed portions of the heated device hecome united, while the other portions retain the properties of the oriuinal fabrics. This local application of heat and pressure may be done by manually operated means it desired.

In order further to illustrate my invention, but without being limited thereto, the iollowinu example is given.

ll'romple Parts by weight Cellulose acetate lilll Dimethyl phthalate i) Gum tragacanth lit Water lilild This mixture is passed throueh a colloid mill provided with carboiundum rotors and is then further treated for one or two hours in a ball or pebble mill. The resultlna' suspension is then applied to a cotton labric by means of a'paddinr mangle after which the fabric is dried by passina around drums or cams heated internally by steam.

The assembly oi two layers of the cotton or linen fabric with the interposed layer oi cotton fabric containing the finely. divided cellulose ace tate is thenwetted on both sides with an aqueous solution of ethyl alcohol (denatured or not) cl eo% concentration. ereupon the assembly is pressed with a hot iron or calender to term a stiffened material in which the iabrics are united. By controlling the degree oi heat and pressure and/or selection oi the type oi fabrics employed and the amount of cellulose acetate present, the degree oi stillness may be controlled. Generally a semi-stiff fabric is termed. which retains its stiffness ter repeated launderina so that the use oi starch or hire material is not required.

- iii collars or ends or become or other articles which are to be sewn onto shirts or other articles of apparel are to be formed, it is advantaaeous to out the assembly of iabrics to the desired shape or term and sew it to the shirt or other article prior to the application of the aqueous alcohol and the heat and pressure so that the as sembly is stidened and united by wetting with the aqueous alcohol and application oi heat and pressure only alter the shirt or other article is completed.

"the i'abrics and articles obtained by this in vention may be made more or less still as desired by controlling the amount of ilnely divided cellulose acetate present in the assembly oi iabrics being treated; the more cellulose acetate present, the stiller the resultant products. The fabrics or other articles may be rendered soiiter by the incorporation oi" more or less plasticizers, such as diethyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate, dlbutyl tartrate, etc, in the aqueous alcohol or onto or in the layer of fabric containinr; the cellulose acetate in nnely divided iorrn.

While this invention has been described particularly in connection with cellulose acetate, such cellulose acetate may be replaced in whole or in part by other derivatives oi cellulose such as cellulose nitrate, or cellulose iormate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, or other esters oi cellulose, or methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and benayl cellulose or other cellulose others, in which case suitable liquids havina the required properties for aiding union der heat and pressure will be selected.

it is to be understood that the ioreuolng detailed description is uiven merely by way of lllus tration and many variations may be made therein, without departing from the spirit oi my invention.

navinc described my invention, what i desire to secure by Letters l atent is: a

i. it method oi preparing stihened laminated fabric such as collars, curls and hire articles of wearina apparel, which comprises impregnating a fabric with a dispersion of ilnely divided their" 5 moplastic derivative oi cellulose in a non-solvent therefor, drying said impreenated fabric, assemblind said impreenated iabric with at least one other fabric, and iormina a stlri'ened laminated fabric by sublectina" the assembly of fabrics to heat and pressure in the presence oi a horrid selected irom the group conslstina oi aqueous solutions oi methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and monomethyl ether of ethylene alycol.

2. a method oil preparinu stidened laminated I t'abrio such'as collars, cults and lilte articles oil wearing apparel, which comprises imprernatinr a fabric with a dispersion oi? finely divided thermoplastic derivative of cellulose in a non-solvent therefor, said dispersion contalninu a binder. drying said linpreenated fabric, assemblinu said impregnated iabric with at least one other lablie, and forming a stiffened laminated fabric by subjectingthe assembly or labrics to heat and pressure in the presence at a liauid selected item.

the uroup conslstine oil a ueous solutions oi methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and monomethyl other oil ethylene plycol.

3. it method oi preparina stidened lanated fabric such as collars, cuffs and hire articles of wearing apparel, which comprises impreunatinp a fabric with a dispersion oi finely divided cellulose acetate in a non-solvent therefor, dryine tilt said impregnated fabric, assembling said impregnated fabric with at least one other fabric, and

forming a stiffened laminated fabric by subject-4 ing the assembly of fabrics to heat and pressure in the-presence of a liquid selected from the .group consisting of aqueous solutions of methyl 15 parts of gum tragacanth, drying said imprelnated fabric, assembling said impregnated fabric with at least one other fabric, and forming a stiffened laminated fabric by subjecting the assembly of fabrics to heat and pressure in the i presence of a liquid selected from the group consisting of aqueous solutions of methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and monornethyl ether of ethylene s y 5. A method of preparing stiffened laminated fabric such as collars, cuifs and like articles of wearing apparel, which comprises impregnating a fabric with a dispersion of finely divided thermoplastic derivative of cellulose in a non-solvent therefor, drying said impregnated fabric, assembling said impregnated fabric with at least one other fabric, and forming a stiffened laminated fabric by subiecting the assembly of fabrics to heat and pressure in the presence of aqueous alcohol.

6. A method of preparing stiffened laminated fabric such as collars, cuffs and like articles of wearing apparel, which comprises impregnating a fabric with a dispersion of finely divided cellulose acetate in a non-solvent therefor, drying said impregnated fabric, assembling said impregnated fabric with at least one other fabric, and forming a stiffened laminated fabric by subiecting the assembly of fabrics to heat and pressure in the presence of aqueous alcohol.

CAMILLE DREYFUS. 

